Re: First train to Airport [Sydney,NSW]

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

"Chris Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au> writes:

>Now on a serious note - are there any crossovers on the Airport line apart
>from the training crossover just prior to the junction at Turrella?

There are no crossovers at all between Central and Turella. And there are
also no man-holes in the tunnel walls, so no maintenance work can be done
when trains are running. If there is a signal failure, the whole line
probably has to be closed down so RSA personnel can safely enter and work in
the tunnel as there are no places to escape too if a train comes along
(apart from the adjacent running line).

>As an aside there has been no regular service for crew training (or any
>other reason) on the Airport Line so far this week.  The rails are suitably
>rusty.  The controlled signal on the down before the Central end portal is
>green over green but the equivalent signal at the Wolli Creek end for the up
>line is at danger - why the different aspects I don't know.

Well given that the station fit-out isn't actually completed yet (just a few
small cosmetic things), and that there are problems with the training
program we're apparently being given (make a return trip, watch a video,
make another return trip - or something like that), I'm not all that
surprised.

Couple that with the one-day 'signal identification' course we are all
required to do (a day at Petersham), and a lot of people still learning
Olympic Park (such as my depot - Waterfall - and Cronulla, along with the
flow of new staff learning roads for the first time), and I don't think the
Xerox house boffins can really spare many staff to learn the airport line.

Today is the first day of my annual leave, and I have still not done the SI
course, or learnt Olympic Park, etc. I'm due to resume work on the 26th of
March, so by the time I come back I'd say there will be a mad scramble to
qualify me for OP, etc. (two days), and put me through the one-day SI
course...

Regards,

Craig,
--
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
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